Folding table



March 14, 1933. .1. KovATs l 1,901,106

'FOLDING TABLE Filed May 51, 19:50

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN KOVATS, OF BBIDGEEORT, CONNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOR TO THE LEG-O-MATIC COH- PANY, OF BBIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT FOLDING TABLE application mea nay s1, 1930. serial no. 458,011.

This invention relates to a table, particularly to a means for mounting the supporting legs of the table, and has for an obJect to provide means for so connecting the supporting legs to the table that they may all be folded against the under side of the table, and are connected by mechanism so that the swinging of any leg to or from the extended or supporting position will impart a similar and simultaneous movement to each of the other legs.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a construction in which there is an individual collapsible bracing or locking means for each leg, which is so connected with the bracing means of each of theother legs that they will all automatically brace and lock the legs when said legs are swung to the supporting position, and the collapse of any one bracing means will unlock and collapse all the other bracing means to permit the le s to be swung to folded position.

It is a urthenobject of this invention toy provide a bracing means that can be collapsed only by proper pressure against any one of the interconnected bracing means and that will resist collapse by pressure against any of the supporting legs so that although all the legs may be swung to extended position by swinging any individual leg on its pivot, the le may be swung to folded position only a ter any one of the bracin means has been properly partially collapse and the legs are rigidly held in the supporting position to provide a rigid support for the table.

. It is still an additional object of this invention to provide a bracket and leg pivoting holder of such construction that the leg need not be additionally braced to prevent 40 it from collapsing in the wrong direction.

It is still anotherobject of this invention to provide a construction of this character in which practically the entire structure may be stamped from sheet metal and ma be 45 manufactured and assembled at relatively low cost.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the inventionv consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully ing holder.

disclosed in connection with the accompanyl ing drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan .View of a table showing the legs folded against the under side thereof and partially broken away to show details of the construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of one corner of-the underside of the table with the leg in extended or supporting position.

Fig. 3 is a section looking in the `direction of the arrows online 3-3 of Fig. A2.

Fig. 4 is a detail section of the rack clamped to the cable on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail section of the rack slidably aiixed to the table on line 5--5-0` Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a bracket which is af'xed to each inner corner of the table and serves as a means for pivotally aflixing' the leg and the hinged brace to the table in proper position.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of this same bracket at right angles to the View shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a front plan lview of the leg pivot- Fig. 9 is a side plan view of the holder shown in Fig. 8.

This device is adapted for tables of various types but is especially intended for use on w at are commonly known as card tables in which the legs are foldable against the under side of the table top, so that the table may be folded into a small space and put away into a closet or other suitable s ace when not in use, and the device is, there ore, shown in the drawing as applied to this type of table. The table top is shown at 12 which, of course, may be vof any suitable material and may be finished on the top or covered with any suitable cover as is found desirable. Secured to the under side of this top of the table and extending about the periphery thereof are usually mounted wooden bars 13 which strengthen and stien the table to sist in preventing warping. The ta le shown is a su stantially square or rectangular table and is, therefore, provided with a supporting leg 14 at each corner. These legs are each pivoted-to the table so as to fold or swing against the under side thereof and they are all mounted in the same manner. They thus,

and aseach swing inthe same direction in relation 'to the periphery of the table from their individual corners and lie substantially parallel with the bar or flange 13 when they are folded 5 against the under side of the table top. As

the means for mounting each is the same as that for mounting each of the other legs one set of dies may be used for making all the mountings and they are, therefore, each interchangeable, and I will described but one of them.

The legs are substantially rectangular in cross section but, of course, may be of any shape desired. The upper end ofeach leg is secured in a holder 15 which is made of sheet metal and is substantially U-shaped in cross section to receive the upper end of the leg and therefore, embraces it on three sides, and it is preferably secured thereto by a bolt or screw 16. Projecting from the end of the leg this holder is provided with a narrow flange 17 and a wide flange 18 which form continuations of the opposite side walls of the holder; projecting from flanges 17 and 18 are the ears 19, and the leg is mounted by pivoting ears 19 in a bracket 20 which is affixed in each corner by any suitable means on the under side of the table. This bracket 20 is also made of metal of suitable gauge and has a base portion 21 which abuts against the under side of the table 12. A short flange 22 depends from portion 21 at a distance from the corner equal to the width of holder 15, while a long flange 23 depends from portion 21 and abuts along bar 13 for a substantial distance providing a means for aifiXing certain later described elements to the table. Pivot openings 24 are provided in flanges 22 and 23 for pivoting ears 19 of the leg holder 15, whereby the legs 14 may be extended into supporting position or folded in close position about the pivots 25.4 Due to the width of flange 18 on the holder, the leg is well supported so there is but little danger of the leg 14 collapsing in the wrong direction, and hence, no additional brace is necessary.

Mounted von each bracket 20 on a suitable stud 26 in the opening 27 is a grooved pulley 28. There is, therefore, one of these pulleys- 28 at each corner of the table, and there is a flexible member 29 which runs over these pulleys or rollers. This iexible member is preferably in the form of a wire cable as that has been found to be very satisfactory, and the free ends of this cable are connected by suitable connecting means as a turnbuckle so that when mounted the cable is a substantially continuous element. This turnbuckle for the ends of the cable, as shown in the drawing, comprises an internally threaded member 30 connected to one end of the cable and another internally but oppositely threaded member 31, connected to the I other end of the cable. A turn screw 32 having its ends oppositely threaded to correspond to the threads in members 30 and 31 connects these members and may be manipulated to adjust the tension on the cable and make it as tight as is found satisfactory.

For best operation the tension on the cable should be sufficient to keep it taut.

Adjacent each corner of the table there is a clamp 33 secured to the cable. The clamp shown in the drawing comprises a clamping element 34 screwed as at 35 to a long rack 36 which is slidably affixed to the table'by a pair of guides 37 for reciprocatory movement. Between the guides 37 are teeth 38 on rack 3.6, and it is apparent that movement of the cable in either direction will correspondingly move each rack 36.

A hinged brace 39 is pivoted to each leg at 40 and is pivotally affixed to the table by means of the pivot 41 in the opening 42 on flange 23. Thebrace 39 has a lip 43 preventing it from opening materially beyond a straight angle as shown in Fig. 3 but allowing the brace to be collapsed to closed position, thereby folding legs 14 to the position shown in Fig. 1. That end of the brace which is pivoted to the table has apgeared. segment 44 formed about the pivot 41, and this geared segment 44 is in constant mesh with rack 36 so that movement of the rack in either direction will cause rotation of the geared seg- -ment 44, and, vice versa, rotation of the segment 44 will cause movement of the rack.

In describing the operation it will be assumed that the legs are folded against the bottom of the table, as shown in Fig. 1. If now, the operator swings any one of the legs 14 about its pivot to a position at right angles to the table top or that is, to the. extended or supporting position, this action Will open the hinged brace and pivotally rotate the geared segment 44 thereof and move the rack 36. The movement of the rack moves the lcable 29, and cable 29 simultaneously moves each of the other racks 36, rotating each corresponding lgear 44 to open each corresponding hinge 39 and thus, simultaneously to open each leg 14 to the supporting position. As the legs reach the supporting position, the hinge 39 opens to a straight angle against lip 43, thereby bracing or locking each leg against collapse. It is obvious that any pressure against the leg will not actto open the hinge while it is in such a straight angle, for the force of such pressure would act in time with the center of the hinge pivot and have no opening effect thereon, and hence each leg is automatically braced or locked in this eX- tended or supporting position. If the lip 43 is so locatedas to permit center of pivot 39 to pass beyond the line joining the centers of pivots 40 and 41 then the greater the pressure tending to collapse the legs the greater the locking effect.

It will be seen that the hinged brace 39 braces the leg in one direction or plane while the wide flange 18 on the holder 15 serves to brace the leg in a direction or plane ,at right angles thereto, and therefore, the leg when in the upright or supporting position is braced in all directions giving a very rigid construction and preventing wabbling of the ta le.

To collapse the legs or fold them against the under side of the table all that is necessary is for the operator to press downwardly against the back of any brace 39 on the side opposite from lip 43, thereby partially collapsing or unlocking the brace. This action partially collapses and unlocks the particular leg involved, `and at the same time moves the rack and hence the cable to move all the other racks and such movement of-each rack serves to simultaneously partially collapse and unlock each corresponding hinged brace 39. Now all the. operator has to do is to merely swing inwardly any one of the legs, usually the leg he has just unlocked, and the cable will simultaneously swing all the other legs to the folded position. It will, therefore, be seen that with this construction the legs may all be simultaneously swung to the extended or supporting position and be automatically braced orlocked therein by the swinging of any one of the legs to this position. Also that the act 0I unlocking any leg will simultaneously unlock all the other legs and they` all are Iswung simultaneously to the folded position by the single act of swinging one of the legs to this position. It will be noted also that practically all the parts can be made of sheet metal, and that t-his construction is a very simple one which may be manufactured and assembled at a relatively low cost.

Having thus set forth the nature of thel invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table on individual pivots and each capable of folding against the under side of the table, a movable connecting means carried by the table, and a hinged connection between the said connecting means and each of the legs, said hinged connection comprising a pair of links pivotally connect ed at their ends, one of said links of each connection having its free end pivoted to a leg and the other having its free end pivoted to the connecting means, said connection adapted to have the pivotally connected ends of their links pressed downwardly whereby said connections are capable of transmitting movement from any leg to each of the other legs to extend the legs to supporting position and to fold them against the table as the hinged means is straightened and collapsed.

2. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table so as to fold against it, guide means secured to said table, a continuous connected member movably retained-by said guides, means, a hinged brace pivoted on each leg, and, a toothed. means brace to the connected member.

3. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table so as to fold them against it, guide-means secured to said table, a continuous connected member movably retained by-said guide means, a rack clamped to said connected member at each leg, and a hinged brace pivoted to each leg and geared to each rack clamp.

4. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table so as to fold against it, a continuous connected member movably secured to the table, a hinged braced pivoted to each leg, and a toothed means gearing the brace to said connected member.

5. In a table, pivoted to the table so as to fold against it, a roller guide secured to thel table adjacent each leg, a flexible cable passing over said guide, a hinged brace pivoted to each leg, angl1 a toothed means gearing the brace to the ta e.

6. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table on individual pivots arranged so that all the legs fold in the same direction with respect tothe periphery of the table, andconnections including toothed means between each adjacent pair of the legs for transmitting similar movement from any leg to each of the other legs to extend the legs to supporting position or fold them against the table. r

Y7. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table and foldable against it, and hinged and toothed gear means between each adjacent pair of legs and connecting all the legs so that operation of any leg on its pivot will impart similar move' ment to all the other legs.

8. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table and foldabl'e against it, means for connecting the legs with each other so that movement of any leg will give similar movement to the other legs, hinged means for bracing each leg in supporting position, and toothed means gearing the hinged means to the connectin means whereby on the collapse of any one inged means the same functions to operate said connecting means to move the same to collapse the other bracing mani" ble I 1 1 f 1 9. nata ,ap ura ityo sup ortincr e pivoted to the table so as to fold)agai1ijst its, guides secured to the table, a continuous ilexible member passing over said guides and hinged toothed gear connections from said member to the respective legs to swingthem on their pivots by movement of said member.

10. vIn a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table so as to fold against it, guides secured to the table, a continuous ilexlble member passing over said guides, a rack clamped to said flexible member, and a gearing the geared hinge in mesh with said rack and,l piv-J oted to each leg to brace said leg when said hinge is straight and to fold said leg when movement of said flexible member collapses said hinge.

11. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted to the table so as to fold against it, a roller guide secured to the table adjacent each leg, a continuous iexible cable passing over the guides, a hinged brace pivoted to each leg and having a geared segment pivoted to the table adjacent each leg, and racks clamped to the cable in constant mesh with each brace, whereby the hinging or unhinging of any one brace imparts a like motion to every other brace to fold or unfold the legs.

12. In aY table, a plurality of supporting legs pivoted tothe table so as to fold against it, guides secured to the table, a'continuous flexible member passing over said guides, a rack clamped to said flexible member adjacent each leg and slidably aiixed to the table, a hinged brace connected to each leg, said hinged brace comprising two sections hinging only to substantially a straight angle in one direction, one of said sections being pivoted to a leg and the other of said sections being pivotally aixed to the table, a gear segment formed on said last named section about its pivot to the table, said gear segment being in constant mesh with said rack.

13. In a table, a supporting leg pivoted thereto adjacent each corner and adapted to fold against the table, a guide mounted adjacent each leg, a flexible cable passing over said guides, a brace for each leg pivoted to said leg and pivotally ailixed to the table in- Wardly of the pivotal mounting for said leg, said brace being hinged and collapsible to pivot the leg to folded position, a gear segment formed on said brace about its pivot to the table, a rack in constant mesh with said gear segment slidably alixed to the table, said rack being clamped to and movable with said flexible cable.

14. In a table, a plurality of supporting legs p-ivoted to the table so as to be oldable against it, a guide secured to the table adjacent each leg, a flexible cable passing over the guides, a rack secured to the cable adjacent each leg, means for slidably aixing said rack to the table, and geared means meshed with the rack connecting with the adjacent leg capable of swinging the leg on its pivot by movement of the cable.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

' JOHN KOVATS. 

